Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) increased the range of professions that are eligible for the Global Talent Stream (GTS) on this December 22. In order to support Canada’s labor force, the ESDC is a government agency with oversight over a number of immigration-related issues, including the issuance of Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) and management of the Global Talent Stream (GTS), a work permit program with accelerated processing designed to assist Canadian employers in hiring foreign skilled workers in the technology sector.

Employers can apply for and acquire a work permit under the GTS if they want to engage a foreign skilled worker for one of 17 high-demand professions (added because of a shortage of qualified workers in Canada). The GTS seeks to implement a two-week minimum service requirement for employment licenses.

The new professions introduced to the GTS are listed in the table below.

The number of qualifying professions has increased from 12 to 17 with the inclusion of the above five engineering posts.

Why has Canada brought this change?

The list of GTS-eligible jobs evolves in response to developments in the labor market in Canada; the addition of these five new occupations suggests that there may be a domestic need for engineers in Canada. To meet the demands of Canada’s labour market more effectively, an increasing tendency in immigration this year has been to target certain professions.

Read about Canada’s Immigration Plan 2023-25 in this Related Article.

These actions consist of the following:

• With the launch of the New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot (NBCWP), which collaborates with six firms to proactively address the province’s labour requirements.
• The elimination of obstacles to permanent residency for doctors applying through Express Entry (considering historical shortages of healthcare personnel).
• The passage of Bill C-19, which gives the immigration minister the authority to designate groups within the Express Entry pool (based on considerations of public policy, such as occupations in high demand), and to send invitations to apply (ITAs) to those groups. Express Entry will therefore probably focus more on professions in 2023.

In a world after COVID, it appears probable that Canada would continue to handle its economic demands in a much more focused manner given the country’s ongoing high labour shortages and expanding senior population. Canada has already recognized immigration as a solution to meet its in-demand labour needs.

Employers seeking to hire foreign workers through the Global Talent Stream (GTS) must make sure their applications are properly prepared, including by creating a Labor Markets Benefits Plan (LMBP) to show their dedication to initiatives that have a long-lasting, beneficial impact on the Canadian labour market. Here, the drafting of the application with the aid of a licensed member of Owlspriortiy Immigration’s Legal Representation Panel (LRP) may considerably enhance adherence and compliance to program rules.

Contact us to know if you qualify to migrate to Canada. Check out Owlspriority Immigration’s Canada Settlement Resources to learn about finding employment in Canada, making your initial days stress-free, etc.